Lifestyle Health

“Success is the sum of small efforts—repeated day in and day out.”—Robert Collier

Change happens one step at a time. How many times have you told yourself that “tomorrow” or “next Monday” or “next year” you’ll change your diet, exercise more, or go to sleep earlier? That resolution probably lasted a few weeks until, dissatisfied and frustrated, you bounced back to old unhealthy patterns. I know how that goes; this course is based on my own experiences. Even now, after everything I’ve studied about changing behaviors, I still procrastinate or allow myself a treat now and then. But praise God I’ve learned to rise above it, and not let myself be controlled by unhealthy behaviors. In this course I’ll share what I’ve learned so you can do the same. If you’ve struggled to lead a healthier lifestyle, I can offer guidance on incorporating positive changes.

Part of that change is learning about how our bodies work. I’m the kind of person who needs to understand how something works—that’s why simple rules like “Don’t eat in the evening” didn’t satisfy me. Instead, I sought to understand what happens in my body when I eat heavy dinners, for example. And once I understood the basic physiological process, it became much easier to change my behavior and start eating lighter evening meals.

It’s important to know that any meaningful and lasting transformation needs God by our side. Our own willpower only gets us so far. But God can eliminate our unhealthy cravings altogether. Only He can help us maintain our focus and determination to stay on track. If we understand how important a clear mind and healthy body are, that goal will become our main motivators.

I’ll leave you with some thoughts from a friend of mine: “I decided many times to make healthy changes, but every time I failed I ended up feeling even more disappointed with myself. But I realized I had the wrong perspective: people who successfully embrace a healthy lifestyle are people with external support, and the best support is from God. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit! So yes, we do need a strong, lasting, motivator. And that can only be God.”

Youth Alive is a program designed to build resilience among teens and young adults by equipping them to make healthy choices. Through the Youth Alive Program teens can better understand their gifts and their purpose.